Within the Light: A Collection of One Shots and Short Stories
by Akuma-Chibi
Summary: Short stories and One Shots of my favorite pairings in up and coming K-Pop band, UNB. If you haven't already heard any of their songs, go listen. The Unit : Reboot Project/UNB


**Within the Light**

 **Summary: Short stories and One Shots of my favorite pairings in up and coming K-Pop band, UNB. If you haven't already heard any of their songs, go listen.**

 **TV SHOW/MUSIC: The Uni+: Reboot Project/UNB**

 **Genre: Romance/Friendship/Family/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Pairings: Any (Although, a good majority will be Euijin/Gwagsuk(Feeldod)) My OTP.**

 **Rating: T-M**

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Euijin/Gwangsuk(Feeldog)**

 **-x-x-x-**

Euijin looked over the choreography that he'd mapped out for the group. UNB was taking steps towards a future that they were all immersed in...one step at a time...and he wanted to do everything he could to keep them moving consistently. Having debuted with A. cian in twenty-fourteen, he'd started much later than the others, debuting at twenty-four years old. He was twenty-eight as of two months ago...he wasn't getting any younger, on the contrary, he was getting older. He sighed and closed his eyes, bringing both of his hands to his face as he rubbed his thumbs in circles along his temple. A headache was starting to form with his thoughts.

"You okay?"

Eyes shooting open, Euijin smiled and turned around to see UNB's leader, Gwangsuk, A-K-A...Feeldog. He was looking curiously at him. Why, after all, would he be standing silently, not moving, with a sketchbook and pen? ...no one was around him...yeah, it was kind of a somber air. He wondered if Gwangsuk would notice the smile, no, how could he, it was a similar smile to the many he'd thrown up over the course of nine months. That's not saying all of his smiles were fake, but he could never show the others when he was upset, so he'd...during times where he was mad, or annoyed...he'd throw a smile on. Still, how could they know? "I'm going over the steps once more, before tomorrow."

"Ah." Gwangsuk walked into the room, though he shut the door softly behind him. Walking towards Euijin, his eyes didn't leave his seniors until he was less than a foot away from him, then he turned his eyes to the sketchbook and looked over the lines, the little **x** 's, and the parted dashes that were the moves of their song _Feeling_. He nodded his head and his hands started to move in memory to the marks on the paper, Euijin's eyes following each move, still smiling. "You don't have to fake a smile, every time...you know?" Gwangsuk said this, though his eyes never left the paper.

Euijin felt it falter, his smile, but he laughed and shook his head. "What reasons do I have to fake a smile?"

"..." Gwangsuk stopped running through the steps, and turned his gaze up to Euijin. Tall people...even when they're short, they're tall. "I don't know...what reasons do you have to fake a smile?"

It was faltering again. Euijin could barely keep eye contact, he wanted to turn his eyes away, to divert them to anywhere else in the room, but Gwangsuk had seized his eyes in an enraptured stare-down. Licking his lips and blinking away his nervousness, he smiled wider and laughed his unease away. Forcing his eyes elsewhere, he put the pen down on the sketchpad and started walking away from Gwangsuk, but his leader had clearly expected him to do this, as his hand was holding Euijin by the wrist before he'd even made it two steps.

Euijin turned suddenly back to Gwangsuk, a frown on his face, his eyes shaking with worry, fear? Possibly...he couldn't really identify all of what he was feeling, only that it was there, and it was showing. "I'm not smiling, is that really what you wanted? So what if I hide my feelings and emotions behind fake smiles, no one else can tell, no one needs to know. I'm older, I need to be more mature, I need to be stronger than everyone else...so I smile...I..." he laughed brokenly, his knees caved in and he fell to the floor. Arm stretched up, his wrist still gripped by Gwangsuk, he felt as if his leader was breaking down his walls. Why? "Why...?"

Gwangsuk bent down on his own knees, looking Euijin in the eyes still, the older kept his eyes down, but he knew that Gwangsuk was looking at him. Was watching him. "Why what?"

"Why...are you doing this to me?"

"Am I hurting you? Is that what it feels like?" Gwangsuk leaned forward, letting go of Euijin's wrist, he brought a hand to the back of his senior's neck and pulled him forward. Their foreheads met, and Euijin was forced to meet Gwangsuk's eyes. "I feel it too. Every time you force a smile, every time you cover up your feelings, or pretend everything is okay...I feel it. You're worried, but you never say anything. You're nervous, but you smile through it. If you're angry, you laugh it off. If you're sad, you make jokes and continue on. You're already stronger than anyone else here...that's why, when you have problems, when you're worried or need to talk to someone, I want to be there for you."

Euijin felt tears burning the rims of his eyes, threatening to fall, he pulled his head away from Gwangsuk and turned his eyes upward, trying to stop the tears that were being tempted by gravity's pull. _"Damn it...can't you let me at least pretend to be carefree and confident."_

Gwangsuk continued to look at Euijin and, for a moment, Euijin wasn't sure if he'd even heard him...then he smiled. "You are confident and carefree...you are also naive if you think no one can tell when you are unhappy. In the last three days, you've been helping everyone get over their worries and stress for tomorrow's debut. However, you neglected your own fears. This didn't go unnoticed." Sighing, Gwangsuk let himself fall backwards a little so that he was sitting down on the ground, "I admit that I've known about your _shields_ for a few months, I assumed you had a method for working with your problems, and I left it at that. However, I started to notice how little things started to bother you more and more, and how few and in between your genuine smiles had become, and that worried me."

"...it became that noticeable?"

Gwangsuk nodded, "Chan asked if everything was alright, thinking that I might know...but I'd never stepped up as a leader...and so, I truly didn't know if you were okay or not. Jun questioned if something was going on with Bigflow or if it was personal...again, I had no answers. Even Kijung asked if maybe it was because of the debut or if something had upset you with a member...why couldn't I have taken ten minutes out of my day, to help you, when you've given most of your time, to help us?"

"I'm you're Hyung...I'm-"

"Being the oldest member doesn't mean you don't have problems too. If the roles were reversed, are you telling me that you wouldn't help me?"

Euijin actually laughed at that. He knew that he would have helped Gwangsuk, even if he'd been older than him, he would have reached out and helped him.

"I'm sorry...I used the fact that you were older, as a clutch. It was nice having someone who I thought was perfect. In my head, I built this image of you. Charismatic, confident, funny, a great dancer, a great singer, a great rapper, good looking, tall-"

Euijin laughed, "tall? To you, maybe."

Gwangsuk smiled, "...fine...tall _er_. You were perfect, you always smiled during the Unit, even during the video where Seyong and you were seen arguing, as emotionally exhausted and upset as you were, you never raised your voice or had a drastic change of personality...you really only looked tired. I saw the video with everyone, I wanted more than anything, to..."

Euijin looked down at his hands, his blonde hair falling into his eyes before he glanced back up at Gwangsuk. Like him, Euijin had transitioned into a sitting position on the ground, no longer on his knees. "More than anything...to…?"

Gwangsuk smiled, "to...support you and take care of you. I didn't want to see you upset ever again. So...please...lean on me. When you need help, or if you simply want to talk...let me be there for you. Don't hide behind smiles, and don't pretend you're happy. Laugh when something is funny, not when something is bothering you."

Sighing, Euijin continued to look at his leader, many thoughts were going through his head. Unlike him, Feeldog had never gotten upset while on the Unit. He'd been smiles and energetic from start to finish. Even his dancing had been without restraints. He'd gotten on stage and done whatever he'd wanted, with a confidence that was like no one else was there. Euijin had been happy while he was dancing too. He'd enjoyed it as much as Feeldog had, if not more. He was finally able to show off his dance skills, and not just his vocal skills. He was a dancer, and since he auditioned as a group vocally, being there as a dancer had meant a lot to him, that he'd been recognized as a dancer...he wanted to dance. Then being placed against Gwangsuk continuously, it pushed him, and he worked harder for acknowledgment from the esteemed dancer. He worked harder, to be noticed...why? There were other reasons, weren't there? He wanted to be on the same team with him, at least once, he wanted to dance with him. It finally happened at the very end, and then when he was chosen to be part of UNB with Gwangsuk...Euijin shivered as his thoughts began to run rampant. "...I...don't know what to say."

"What's on your mind, when you drew the steps for our choreography, what were you thinking about?"

"...what was I thinking about?" He thought back to when he started putting the steps down on paper, what had he been thinking…? "I was thinking...about..." his cheeks flushed and he shook his head, "..."

"You can tell me, it's fine."

"No...I don't think so."

Gwangsuk nodded, "alright, then a different question. What motivates you to do your best in UNB?"

"..." again, the answer was the same as the last. Euijin shook his head.

"You can't answer that one either?" Smiling, Gwangsuk stood and stretched, "I can. The night you started working on the steps, and laying them all out on paper, I was thinking about you. I was worried because you were staying up really late, and I was worried you might get sick from all the stress you felt. When I think of what motivates me, the fact that I have someone as talented in dancing in this group, it pushes me everyday to do my best, and inspires me to try new things. My answer...for both...is you. Maybe that's why it bothers me so much, seeing you hide behind those fake smiles. Because I want to take care of you, and protect you...and continue to dance with you..."

Euijin blushed and his eyes looked up into Gwangsuk's, he wondered if he was lying, but really...that wasn't his leaders personality. He nodded, he took it for what it was...a compliment. "Mine is the same. I was thinking of you when I put the steps down on paper, I was stressed because I kept thinking of mistakes that I'd made during the Unit, and how I didn't want to make those mistakes in UNB. I wanted to make my leader proud, I wanted to be dependable, and help remove some of the weight from your shoulders. I just...don't want to be in the way. It's the same, with what motivates me. Keeping up with you, and challenging you...motivates me to do better. I like the fact that people think you and I are in the same league...even if I don't think so, I want to continue pushing myself until I'm in that league."

"...you really don't think you're in my league?" Gwangsuk looked genuinely shocked. "You are the reason I pushed myself in the Unit...and why I push myself in this group. You dance better than anyone else I've ever danced alongside of. I wanted to be part of your team at least once in the Unit, so when we were told to put down the top three people we wanted to be teamed up with, you were my number one. Getting that chance, that last stage was amazing, more than I could have ever asked for."

"You're just saying that..."

"No, I'm not. Seyong continued to tell everyone that he and I were rivals, far from the truth. If I were to have a rival, especially during the Unit...it would have been you, hands down. I wanted to be on that stage with you. You were my number one choice, and even here, I wanted to be part of UNB with you...my first choice as far as the top nine goes, was you...Euijin, it's always been you! I thought of you as a rival since I saw your audition. No one else...just you..."

Euijin was in a state of shock, Gwangsuk's voice was raising here and there. Not used to the passionate tone he was taking with him, he just kept quiet. How could he have carried those thoughts and opinions of him, and yet he'd never known? A hand found his, he looked up and Gwangsuk was only a few inches away from him. When did he move so close? He hadn't looked away but for a moment, when had he moved so close?

"Euijin..."

His name fell from his leaders lips, his head was reeling. Everything that night, it was crazy, his mind was a mess with all of what Gwangsuk had said. How could he still be moving closer to him? Wait…! Closer?! He was moving closer!?

Leaning back, Euijin didn't know where his brain was, but the logical side had clearly left him. He seemingly had forgotten that he was sitting. Leaning back...why did he lean back?! Gwangsuk brought a hand to Euijin's back before he met the cold of the floor. Why was he lying on the ground? He couldn't think straight! He could feel his heart pounding through his chest, rapidly, to a beat all it's own. Euijin couldn't help but compare it to a popping track, but he wished horribly that it wasn't in his chest. He was sure that Gwangsuk could hear it too. Everything was all over the place! What had he even been doing before Gwangsuk had come into the practice room?!

Gwangsuk took in the dazed look in Euijin's dark brown eyes. Wondering what was going through his Hyung's head at that moment. He wanted to know if he'd be angry, or upset with him. What he was doing...wasn't to cause problems. He truly liked Euijin, and wanted to show him...but would he take it as such? Could he possibly feel the same? Just do it. Do it! He looked to the hand lying next to him, bringing his hand from Euijin's back, watching him settle completely on the floor, he took his hand and interlaced his fingers with Euijin's before leaning forward and capturing his lips in a searing kiss. He wasn't sure what to expect. However, when Euijin responded, he couldn't stop the smile that found it's way to his lips, and to his eyes.

Euijin too...closing his eyes, he smiled into the kiss. Nothing fake about it, a genuine, relaxed, happy smile. He couldn't remember why he was stressed, or unhappy, whatever the reason, he'd forgotten it. Right now, he felt completely at ease, and worry free.

When Gwangsuk pulled back a bit, he pulled Euijin so that he was sitting up again. Moving beside him, he made the daring choice of lifting him into his arms. A small laugh passed Euijin's lips and Gwangsuk reveled in the sound. "No more false laughs or fake smiles."

Euijin smiled, his eyes twinkled as he leaned his head against his leaders shoulder in exhaustion. "...no more false laughs or fake smiles."

Walking down the hall, he was going to head upstairs, but changed his mind. Instead, making his way to the couch, he sat Euijin down, and disappeared for a few seconds before reappearing with warm blankets. Euijin was still smiling, although, Gwangsuk could see his mind reeling with thoughts. He sat down next to him and laid the blanket out across the length of the couch. Lying down, he pulled the older down and smiled happily when he consented without falter. Euijin was lying a bit lower on the couch, so his head lay resting on Gwangsuk's arm. Gwangsuk was on a high, happy that he was finally taller than someone, and that it was Euijin who was lying in his arms...it made everything perfect. _"I should have said something sooner."_ His voice came out in a whisper, tickling Euijin as his breath brushed carelessly against his hair.

Smiling at the light touch of his hair against his face, Euijin closed his eyes sleepily but opened them a few seconds later as he waited for Gwangsuk to continue.

" _I came to the practice room...to tell you something, but you weren't in the right mood, and I didn't want to bother you. Originally, I was going to leave you be and let you sort your mind...like normal...but, I couldn't bring myself to do that this time. I wanted...no, needed...to tell you..."_

" _Tell me..."_

Gwangsuk looked at Euijin's serene smile, and carefully, he sat up a bit so that he was applying his wait on one hand, but looking down at the precious beauty on the couch beside him. " _...I can't stop thinking about you. It's not like the thoughts I have of the other members of UNB. It's on a whole different level. I tried to ignore it, tried to hide it. I can't...and I don't want to either."_

Opening his eyes, his heart was fluttering. The whole night had been one big roller-coaster...Euijin smiled, _"I don't want you to hide it. At the least...I want you to tell me, and show me...how it is you feel. If you tell others, it's fine, if you don't that's fine too...but let me see your thoughts, let me hear everything. Be it a secret...or an announcement...I want to know everything."_ His voice, even as it came out in a softly spoken whisper, was trembling.

Gwangsuk stared at Euijin and a thought hit him. How funny...he'd come to help Euijin open up to him, now he was helping him do the same. The tables truly do turn. _"I want..._ _to be the person you lean on...no matter what. In more ways than just a friend. I don't want it to be public...yet...but I want it to be constant. So that the members, and the fans, can come to expect it, and actually consider it before it's announced. I want it to be something that they think is natural...I'm a coward, when it comes to you...I'm afraid of losing you...so once I have you, I want to keep you. I don't know if anything I'm saying makes sense._ _"_

" _It doesn't, but I understood everything you said. Let's keep everything between us...but do everything out in the open...because isn't the best hiding place...often times the most obvious hiding place...?"_ Euijin brought a hand to Gwangsuk's cheek and smiled again, _"As for being a coward...if you hold onto me, you won't lose me, just so long as you don't let go. So don't let go..._ _"_

Gwangsuk smiled and leaned in, kissing Euijin once more before lying back down beside him, and pulling him into a warm embrace. The two fell into a blissful sleep, Euijin's head tucked safely into Gwangsuk's chest. Tomorrow was to be a long day...after all. April seventh was their debut, and it was the start of this mom and dad relationship. Truly, many new beginnings would come from UNB.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is my first One-shot with my UNB collection. I'll update when I feel like writing a one-shot, or have a stroke of inspiration. However, this was one I really wanted to write. Tell me if you have any pairings!?**


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